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Operation Formo kicks off campaign against party drugs in nightclubs.

A further two people have been arrested overnight as part of Operation Formo after a search warrant on a licensed premise in Civic by ACT Policing Drug Investigators.

Around 00:25hrs this morning (Saturday, March 26) police arrested a 23-year-old female and a 27-year-old male for trafficking in a controlled drug other than cannabis after they were identified selling drugs from a Canberra nightclub. A short time later police executed a search warrant on the Cube nightclub during which police located and seized a small quantity of substances suspected to be illicit. These substances are now subject to analysis.

Operation Formo has been a 12-month investigation into the trafficking of controlled drugs from within nightclubs and licensed premises in Canberra’s entertainment precincts.

During the early part of the operation, police identified a number of people and licensed premises that played a significant part in the distribution of illicit substances across the entertainment precincts. This consisted of plain-clothed officers conducting authorised purchases of drugs, operating under the legislation within the Crimes (Controlled Operations) Act 2008.

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Operation Formo, while focusing on illicit substances, also led to the introduction of Benzylipiperazine (BZP) and Trifluoromethylohenylpiperazine (TFMPP) being placed onto the ACT Criminal Code Regulation 2005 as controlled drugs.

Prior to this morning, Operation Formo results have led to four people being charged with trafficking in a controlled drug other than cannabis, with a further two people to be summonsed for other related drug offences. These matters are currently before the Court.

Police have also seized 1300 ecstasy pills, and gathered further intelligence which led to this morning’s operation.